The reason I developed a personal, inward-looking relationship with clothing might have a link with my family background. I’m French and Vietnamese—as well as Polish and Jewish. I wanted to make clothes my own language so that I could essentially defy the boxes or categories that others tried to fit me into. Adding some porosity to my wardrobe meant I could transcend temporal, spatial, and social constraints, which I think is in line with Lemaire’s vision.

Comfort when you wear the piece is top priority. Apparel that allows personal space between the piece and the wearer while offering free range of movement naturally reveals the wearer’s characteristics and charms. When creating clothing, we always keep in mind that a designer’s work is only 50 percent of the process—and that the rest goes to the wearer. As a designer, I try to leave room for interpretation, rather than forcing our personal ideas onto our clientele.